ifts of the Taint
by Vaughn882: 2003-07-19 | Not yet rated
In my re-reading of the series I have come to notice something that I've never thought about before- Rand's ability to sense shadowspawn. In the early books, particularly TDR (where i first thought of it) Rand mysteriously senses shadowspawn, and not just myrdraal. The first time that I know of that he does this is in tDR, when he is first really experimenting with saidin. Then an idea came to me- perhaps the frequent use of saidin attunes channelers to sense shadowsspawn because of the taint. What I mean is, perhaps the taint allows channelers to sense shadowspawn.
I believe this because of a part in tDR where rand senses trollocs before they come and says that they feel like the taint:
"Rand's head fell back against the tree and his eyes closed."I felt them coming" he said, nearly whispering. "I don't know what it was though. THEY FEEL LIKE THE TAINT ON SAIDIN (emphasis added) tDR, Nightmares walking, pg 83"
This is where I got my idea, when the trollocs attack the camp at the begining. We know that not all channelers can sense shadowspawn, especially Aes Sedai, who if they had the ability would not need warders close to as much. There is no way to know if male channelers all have this ability, for all the ones we know have worked with the taint. Rand does not experience this feeling as far as i know before he first channels. I doubt they all do though, for if there was there would probably be mention of it in the bokks or in the Guide.
there are other instances where rand has similar feelings, but the only one I have found so far is this:
"There was a feel in the air, a sense of wrongness. Of evil" tSR, Traps, pg 827.
this is from tSR, when rand is talking to avi after his dream with lanfear in cold rocks hold, right before the attack. Notice that avi does not have the same feeling. Rand remarks again later on in that chapter that he can feel the residue of the evil.
This is my theory, i dont know if anyone has suggested it so far or if the way rand really does sense shadowspawn is comon knowledge, i'm jsut throwin in my idea. If others could please give some more quotes of when rand senses shadowspan, that would be nice ;).
You cannot rate theories without first logging in. Please
log in.
1
Tamyrlin: 2003-07-27
I thought that Aes Sedai had the ability to detect shadowspawn. But maybe, as you have suggested, the taint made Rand's awareness amplified. Those quotes are really good, I hadn't thought about this. Other comments anyone?
2
Jiana: 2003-07-27
LoC, page 558-59, "Letters:"
Death, Lews Therin whispered.
Rand forgot everything else. Death? What do you mean?
Death comes.
...He shifted uneasily. Knowing was one thing, but a dead man, inside him, talking of death, made him feel unclean, like the faintest brush of the taint on saidin.
LoC, page 566 (paperback) "Letters:"
Suddenly everything came together in his head. The door had opened. He was smelling filth, not just feeling it but it was not really a smell. Dropping the letter, he pushed Aviendha away from him hard enough that she toppled with a startled yell--clear of him, though; clear of danger; everything seemed to have slowed down--and seized saidin as he spun...
This is the chapter where the Gray Man attacked him in his chambers at the Royal Palace in Caemlyn. He sensed the Gray Man, and yes, said that it felt like the taint on saidin, though he didn't realize what it was, mistaking it for a reaction to Lews Therin.
Like Tam, I thought that Aes Sedai could sense shadowspawn anyway, without their Warders... but I am not sure. Right, maybe the taint makes that ability more fine-tuned, but by the same token, it probably makes it more confusing as well.
3
juitzhead: 2003-07-27
"It was Lan and Moiraine he was really interested in, though. They could sense a Myrddraal, or a Trolloc, or any Shadowspawn, before it came closer than a few hundred paces, but the Aes Sedai was staring distantly at the table in front of her, and the Warder was cutting a chunk of yellow cheese and watching her." - TDR
warders and AS can feel shadowspawn.
"Lan came to stand in front of Perrin. “How did you know them, blacksmith?” he asked quietly. “Their taint of evil is not strong enough for Moiraine or me to sense. Gray Men have walked past a hundred guards without being noticed, and Warders among them.” - TDR"
However, the taint/evil of the DO has to be strong enough for them to sense.
also, remember that Rand was able to sense/smell the gray man in caemlyn, where Mori and Lan could not sense 6 of them. So, i think that what you have suggested makes sense.
4
imfunny81: 2003-07-27
yes Aes Sedai and Warders can both sense the taint of shadowspawn... that's the reason that the gray man assassin in the White Tower that Nynaeve and Egwene (i think...) was such a big deal. They knew it had to be warded for it to not be detected entering. Moiraine also mentions it a few times.
5
Vaughn882: 2003-07-27
Ok, for the most part I was wrong, since aes sedai can sense shadowspawn (which kinda makes it pointless in most cases for the warder to have the ability too) but it is interesting that Rand could sense a Gray manwhen Moi and lan couldnt sense six. This gives me two more ideas:
1. The taint enhances a channeler's ability, but also cripples it like jiana said, or
2. The stronger a channeler you are, the better you can sense shadowspawn.
Just throwin out some ideas, we'll probably never know the answer because its not very important.
6
Rhodric: 2003-07-27
the 6 greymen in illian were warded, so that Lan and Moi couldn't sense them.
it took perrin to smell them.
i don't believe the taint enhances awareness of shadowspawn, just use of the OP does this.
7
Rhuark: 2003-07-27
How then do Female channelers sense Shadowspawn from using the One Power? There isn't any taint on saidar so what is the connection to the Shadowspawn/DO? It cant be the magnification of the senses because that only occurs when they are holding saidar. Could it be that the Whitecloaks are right about the One Power being evil???
8
Callandor: 2003-07-27
As stated, Aes Sedai and Warders can sense Shadowspawn, however I don't think its due to the taint that Rand can.
Personally, I believe that all channelers can sense Shadowspawn, however it is in such a small way that it takes a person to jsut be sitting down or about to go to sleep for them to realize it. However when an Aes Sedai bonds a Warder the sensation becomes a bit more powerful and easier to sense.
For men, I do like the idea that the taint allows them to sense Shadowspawn more easily, but to me, men who can channel are just able to sense the Shadowspawn easier (almost the same as how men are physically stronger then women in the OP).
But its a good theory ;).
9
imfunny81: 2003-07-28
it's not that men that can channel can more easily sense shadowspawn that women who channel... it's just that for women, the sense that they get from shadowspawn for them is just the sense of shadowspawn... for men, the feeling they get from shadowspawn is merely similar to another feeling they have, the feel of the taint... thus it's more a question of perspective than capability of sensing shadowspawn...
10
Jiana: 2003-07-29
Exactly. My point about it being "confusing" is that for male channellers, it must be hard to tell the difference between what's the taint and what is Shadowspawn.
11
heronblade: 2003-08-04
i think warders can...lan said something about it before in eotw
12
Rhodric: 2003-08-04
Callandor:
**For men, I do like the idea that the taint allows them to sense Shadowspawn more easily, but to me, men who can channel are just able to sense the Shadowspawn easier (almost the same as how men are physically stronger then women in the OP).**
this got me thinking - the stronger the channeller, the more strongly that channeller senses shadowspawn. Rand is the strongest, which is why he senses it so well.
yeah the taint similarity is just confusion, not a gift of taint.
13
Shadow Bane: 2003-08-05
uh warders sense shadowspawn, and Rand is currently bonded to 4 women
14
Callandor: 2003-08-05
Rand sensed Trollocs in TDR, in the camp in the Mountains of Mist. Thats WAY before he gets bonded the first time to Alanna. So, it's not just the bonding.
15
Anubis: 2003-08-05
yes, but at the time rand wasnt bonded to any women. so it must be something else.
16
Rhodric: 2003-08-05
it's being a warder AND the ability to channel. the taint IMO has nothing to do with Rand's ability to sense shadowspawn.
17
Callandor: 2003-08-06
Rhodric, Im not sure if your refering to just Rand, but it can't be both for all Warder's unless every single Warder, including Lan, cna channel saidin.
But if you were just talking about Rand then most likely yes :).
18
Tigraine: 2003-08-07
Just a thought, but could the ability to sense Shadowspawn be linked with the fact that they were made by Aginor in the Age of Legends with saidin (as it is noted all over that only fools used the True Power often). After saidin was tainted, channelers were able to sense the residue of the taint in some way? For women, they could not pin the feeling to anything but "shadowspawn." However, for men, it felt just like the oil of the taint on saidin. As for Warders, it is stated that they gain several "gifts" from the bond. I would surmise that they sense the Shadowspawn through their link with the Aes Sedai rather than directly.
Then again, I'm probably wrong ;)
19
Rhodric: 2003-08-07
yeah thanks for pointing out the ambiguity. i meant the second thing. (more ambiguity, i love it. lol.)
but more generally:
the ability to channel gives the ability to sense shadowspawn.
being a warder gives the ability to sense shadowspawn.
the taint does not give the ability to sense shadowspawn, but it kinda feels like shadowspawn, causing confusion.
